Paediatricians adopt computer based training

Effective next year, Rwandan paediatricians will start using the Computerized Adaption and Training Tool instead of the Integration Management of Child illnesses (IMCI) that was based on books. Community Health Workers (CHWs) will also benefit from the move. The IMCI is a method of training medics who treat children using modules and syllabuses in books while the computerized adaption is computer based. According to officials, the new method is quicker and cost effective. Dovlo Delanyo, the World Health Organization (WHO) country representative, said that a software has been developed which can be upgraded and changed if need arises unlike the method of using books. “This computer-based training for health workers is a faster way of guiding medics how to treat child illnesses. It can even be put on CD for those who have no access to internet,” Delanyo said. Dr Charles Nuwagaba, a paediatrician at the Butare University Teaching Hospital (CHUB), said that according to the 2005 Demographic Health Survey, 152 children out of 1,000 births died, but now the number has reduced to 76/1000. He said that the common illnesses for children under five are Pneumonia, Diarrhoea, malaria and measles. Nuwagaba added that the IMCI training tool requires each health worker to have a total of eight books which is very expensive but the new method is cost effective. maria.kaitesi@newtimes.co.rw

National

Paediatricians adopt computer based training